Exhibit 12.1


                   PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICER CERTIFICATION

     I, Magim Rodriguez Junior, Chief Executive Officer of Companhia de
Bebidas das Americas - AmBev, certify that:

     1. I have reviewed this Amendment No. 1 to the annual report on Form 20-F
of Companhia de Bebidas das Americas--AmBev (the "Registrant");

     2. Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such
statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by
this annual report;

     3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the
Registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual report;

     4. The Registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the Registrant and have:

          a.   designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
               material information relating to the Registrant, including its
               consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within
               those entities, particularly during the period in which this
               annual report is being prepared;

          b.   evaluated the effectiveness of the Registrant's disclosure
               controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
               the filing date of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date");
               and

          c.   presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
               effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based
               on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

     5. The Registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based
on our most recent evaluation, to the Registrant's auditors and the audit
committee of Registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the
equivalent function):

          a.   all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
               internal controls which could adversely affect the Registrant's
               ability to record, process, summarize and report financial data
               and have identified for the Registrant's auditors any material
               weaknesses in internal controls; and

          b.   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
               other employees who have a significant role in the Registrant's
               internal controls; and



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     6. The Registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in
this annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls
subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective
actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

Date:  July 15, 2003
                                             /s/ Magim Rodriguez Junior
                                             --------------------------
                                             Magim Rodriguez Junior
                                             Chief Executive Officer